


A drink in two glasses

by Polkadot_Paragua



Category: The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: Avengers - Freeform, Drinking, Flirting, Frost Iron - Freeform, Frostiron Month, M/M, prompt: firsts
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-06-29
Updated: 2014-07-08
Packaged: 2018-02-06 18:09:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,991
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1867488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Polkadot_Paragua/pseuds/Polkadot_Paragua
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Tony finally has that drink with Loki. It turns out they actually both seem to find each other rather fascinating.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

A drink in two glasses

 

They sat around the table at the schawarma place and Tony couldn't help but think this was an utter waste of time. How someone could eat in such silence was beyond him, and he knew he was tired, everyone was tired, and he should just sit there, enjoy the chance of doing nothing but relaxing and eating, but he couldn't bring himself to not be bored.  
Finally, he wiped his hands and got up.  
„Thanks, guys“, he said, stretching, then sighing deeply: „See you all later at the tower. But I need to excuse myself just for now. There is something I really have to do.“  
Noone even said a word as he stumped out the small place and made his way back to the Stark tower.

„Now. Who is that?“, Lokis eyes raised when he entered the room, and soon found him even in the dim light. Loki behind glass always reminded Tony of a proud animal, like a tiger, or a shark, you never fully knew if he was the one caged, or yourself.  
The cage they put Loki in this time was situated right down in the cellar of the Stark tower, next to his workshop and laboratory.  
„You asked for a drink“, Tony said, raising one of the two glasses he was holding, slowly stepping closer. This cell was different from the other one, it was solid on three of four walls and only to one side there was a big glass front, which Loki stood in front of with his hands behind his back, his body straight, his face proud like a king standing on a terrace, looking at his kingdom, which happened to be a dark room containing nothing more than stuff Tony didn't need anymore, and Tony, holding out a glass.  
„Yesss...“, Loki hissed with a smile.  
Tony had wondered. To be honest, he hadn't been very sure about how Loki would react to his visit, but to Tony's bewilderment he seemed to be nothing but pleased.  
With the tiniest of hesitation, he put his glass on a table to his right, then touched a little field on the glass, and a window opened. Loki observed it, his face not giving anything away, then stepped to the side and raised a hand, taking the glass from Tony without them touching.  
They both took a step back only to be able to see each other better and Tony fetched his glass from the table.  
Loki raised the glass to his face.  
„What is it?“, he asked curiously, his nose hovering just above the edge of the glass.  
„We call it Scotch here.“  
Tony had not actually thought it woud be so easy to have a drink with the other and was mildly surprised as Loki didn't hesitate even for one second before taking a sip, then return his gaze into the glass, giving it a slight stirr and watching it move lazily.  
„What does it taste like?“, Tony asked, taking a sip himself without any real interest in the content of his own glass.  
„Like wood“, Loki said, te corner of his mouth raising nearly imperceptibly.  
„Also, earth. Fresh water.“  
Tony nodded slightly. „I put some water in it, with the ice.“ He watched Lokis slender fingers holding the glass, it looked like caressing without even moving.  
„What else?“, he insisted.  
„A plant. A crop.“  
„Yes. Barley“, Tony said patiently.  
„I don't know that name. I have never tasted this plant.“  
„What else?“  
„Something fruity. And smoke.“  
„What fruit?“  
„Apricot maybe. And cherry.“  
„And what wood?“  
„Oak“, Loki answered without hesitation.  
„What more?“  
Loki gave hime a strange look over the rim of the glass before tasting again.  
„Honey, or probably caramel. And something salty, too.“  
Tony didn't want to stop asking but had to be honest to himself: There wasn't anything more he would taste in there. He wouldn't be able to follow anymore. And he didn't want to let it come to a point where he had to acknoledge this fact.  
„Is this a test?“, Loki asked, amused, taking a sip of Scotch just for his own enjoyment this time, looking relaxed and rather content.  
„I don't know. It might“, Tony answered, smirking.  
„And did I pass?“  
Instead of answering, Tony took quite a mouthful from his drink, let it wash down his throat and looked back at Loki, examining him openly.  
„I had a drink with your brother once“, he said after a moment: „Gave him the exact same Scotch. Asked him the exact same question.“  
Loki looked at him intensely. He had awakened his curousity now.  
„What did he say?“, he asked with the shadow of a smile only so very lightly hovering his lips.  
„He said it tasted like something he used to polish his armour with back in Asgard.“ He smirked.  
Loki looked at him, then gave back the smirk ever so lightly, then more, then he laughed, wide, honestly, heartly.  
Tony couldn't help but join him. When they finally stopped, the smile didn't seem to completely wash off their faces.  
„He has never been the sensitive kind of man“, Loki said.  
Tony kept silent for a moment.  
„Why aren't you afraid of me poisening you?“, he asked, now serious again.  
Loki didn't even seem surprised.  
„You didn't come here to harm me“, he answered as if that should be obvious to every child.  
„And you know that because you read my mind?“  
Loki smirked again.  
„No“, he said softly: „I don't posess this skill. I know that because I read your face.“  
Tony was surprised again. He hadn't thought about how to approach the god, but now he mused he might have been more careful, as his reputation probably came from a reason, and putting him behind glass didn't exactly keep him from exercising the kind of skillset he didn't need weapons or magic for.  
„You know they call me the god of lies, don't you?“, Loki said in that very moment, without any discomfort in his voice, seeming to rather enjoy his title. He clearly was a very good face reader.  
„Yes“, Tony said lowly.  
„Well. They don't do that because I lie more than other people. I probably don't even do that. He took another sip, shiftet his weight comfortably to his other leg, letting his hips tilt with it.  
„They do because people believe my lies more than other's.“  
He gave a little silence, long enough for Tony to wonder why he was telling him this, but short enough he didn't have to insist he would tell him.  
„When you want to be a good liar, there is two secrets to that“, Loki balanced the glass in this hand, looking down at it with a slight smile, nearly like looking at a great piece of art.  
„First, you should always remember that sometimes it is the truth rather than a lie that really confuses people. And telling the truth as often as possible is what makes a lie so unpredictable, isn't it?“  
He raised his eye and Tony met his gaze, registering that Loki used to say „isn't it“ a lot. He mused if that was because he often had to talk to stupid people and therefore constantly had to make sure that his opponent was able to keep track, then, thinking about Thor, he thought that was probably just it.  
„And second: If you tell a lie, you have to be very sure it is one they will believe. And this is what a face tells you. It tells you, what they want. What they want to believe.“  
Tony took a quiet breath.  
„What does my face tell you about what I want?“, he asked curiously, but also a bit tensed.  
„It tells me you are looking for distraction“, Loki said, suddenly returning his gaze intensely, bending down to put his empty glass on the floor, coming closer without a hurry. „It tells me you are very bored. And you think I mean danger. And that tickles you.“  
Tony didn't dare to look away, fearing Loki would interprete that as weakness. Or discomfort. But actually he didn't feel uncomfortable, neither with Loki's words nor with his slender body shifting closer, his movement more floating than going.  
„It also tells me you find me rather attractive, and you want to find out if there is any chance in hell you are going to get to fuck me someday.“  
Tony all but flinched.  
Loki smiled, coming to a halt standing right in front of him with nothing more than glass between them. He opened his mouth to say something but Loki cut him short.  
„They call you Tony“, he said with a silky voice. „What is your name?“  
Tony perfectly understood now why they called him Silvertongue. The words he spoke didn't sound like words other people said. They sounded like a soft wind over the ocean at night. He was astonished someone could do that with nothing more than his mouth and it made him wonder all but painfully what else this man was able to do with this mouth.  
„Anthony Stark“, he answered, relieved to hear his own voice not croaking nor husky.  
„Well. There is“, Loki said, he raised his hand and touched the glass with his fingertips, then very softly lay his palm against the glass.“  
Tony watched him, and suddenly understood he finally had lost track of the conversation.  
"What...?", he asked, this time with discomfort, but trying not to show it.  
„Well. There is a chance in hell you are going to get to fuck me someday“, he said. His voice was so soft now it was nearly a whisper, but not because he would be ashamed of what he said, but obviously because he was absolutely aware of what his voice did to Tony.  
„Not like this“, Tony answered, this time his voice did sound husky.  
„Not behind glass. No“, Loki said. Tony looked in his eyes and had to acklowledge he was not able to read even one thing in them. He didn't know if that was a trick, if that was a lie, or if they were just having a moment ritht here in his cellar.  
„If i ever break free, Mr. Stark, and you are still alive, know that I will come for you and carry out what your eyes are promissing me right now.“  
Tony swallowed heavily as he got aware that he had been cought undressing the other with his eyes.  
„You play me“, he said tightly.  
„You will never know“, Loki said smiling. His eyes fell to his hand, and Tony followed them, looking at the light coloured palm facing him, vulnerable, exposed, and he couldn't help but raising his own hand touching the glass with his fingertips, imagining the glass wasn't there, how his soft palm would feel, warm and smooth, then mirroring the position of Lokis hand on the other side.  
They stood there for a while, looking down on their hands, than at the others eyes.  
„Goodbye, Mr. Stark. Thank you for the drink. It was a magnificent experience.“  
Tony watched as he turned around, his hand grasping as if he could get a hold of the other through the glass, but of course it was futile, then Loki bent down and fetched the glass from the floor, coming back to the door, and Tony automatically put his hand on the field that would allow the tiny window to open. When Loki raised the glass, shoving it through the window, Tony took it, and their hands brushed.  
„I will, Tony Stark. I will come.“  
Tonys hand fell from the field and the window closed, and Tony knew that, whatever happened before, this was not a game, not a lie, Loki did undress him with his gaze. His heart seemed to skip a beat before Loki finally turned around and Tony started breathing again, hurriedly leaving the room, totally confused and with a huge, painful boner.


	2. Chapter 2

It was half a year later when Tony awoke in the middle of the night, startled, nearly panicked, from a noise at his window. He shot up in bed and tried to make out any shape in his dark bedroom, but couldn't. The only thing he could see was the greyish square the sky outside his window produced, it was snowing, that much he could tell. He blinked, concentrated, tensed. Around him was only perfect, dark silence. He came to the conclusion he must have had a dream, just when he heard the noise again, some rustling, over there near the door.  
„Who is it?“, he asked unsecurely, half expecting to be kidnapped.  
Then, the light flashed. With one hand on the lightswitch stood a man, and suddenly Tony wished it was just some guy trying to kidnap him.  
„Holy crap!“, he sweared, jumping up. Couloured lights danced in front of his eyes, blurring his vision a bit, but not enough to spare him from this sight. It was Loki. He didn't say a thing. He couldn't, as his lips were sewn together, leaving the bottom part of his face nothing but a bloody mess.  
And he didn't do anything else then letting his hand fall from the lightswitch, but he didn't have to, as Tony was by his side in the blink of an eye, both Tony's hands at his face, his index finger trailing the thread holding his lips together. It was a rusty metal string. It smelled like iron, and not knowing if that was the string or all the blood made Tony want to puke all over the place.  
„My god...“, he cursed again, his voice rough, scratchy.  
He got a hold on the back of Lokis neck, with his fingers intertwining in his hair but not caring, and pulled, Loki followed him without hesitation. He looked a mess. His skin was white as a sheet except for all the blood, his eyes were rendered in red, and they were clouded, glazed, tired, half shut, trying to stare at him but probably not even able to completely focus.  
He pulled Loki to his bed and pushed him down on it, falling to his knees right in front of him between his knees, his hands on the side of his face again, pushing the stringy, unwashed, unkempt hair aside, then traced the stiches on his lips with both his thumbs.  
„What did they do?!“, he asked, disgusted, and examined the seam carefully, searching for a beginning where he could untangle the thing, but he didn't find any.  
„You stay here“, he said, his voice tight, harsh. Loki didn't look like he had planned otherwise, actually, Tony thought, he looked like he wouldn't move a millimeter even if he asked him to.  
He gave the man a last firm look before getting up and hurrying out, making his way down to the workshop, browsing through the toolbox. He didn't find what he was looking for, then finally found the wire cutters just there on the table and grabbed them, hurried up again, a bit afraid of what he might find, but the only thing he came back to was Loki sitting on his bed not having moved the slightest bit, just tilting his head to him standing in the door tiredly.  
He let himself fall down to his knees again, raising the clippers, and then for the first time saw something glim in Lokis eyes, they widened nearly unperceptively, and he raised his hands to Tonys arm, but Tony streched the other hand, running it through the messy hair before letting it rest on the side of his face.  
„Don't move. I'm not hurting you, I promise“, he said, inhaling heavily. He felt his hand trembling a bit, probably from the adrenaline, from waking up in the middle of the night only to find someone bleeding on his bedroom floor, then running through half the tower and back, and now having to do some severe surgery on this fucking sick torture thing.  
Loki didn't take his hands away, but he didn't put any pressure on his arm either, so Tony decided he would just go for it, he had to.  
„I won't hurt you. I promise“, he repeated, his fingers clenched in Lokis hair before he held tight, then carefully, trembling, cut through the first seam. He exhaled with relieve when he felt the wire giving way between the blades.  
„Good, very good, hold still“, he said and felt his hand getting a bit steadier, at last. He pushed Lokis lips out of the way of the blades with his free hand while cutting through every seam seperately, the wire was strong and thick and so it weren't too many stitches thankfully, then finally, when the last gave way, Loki's mouth snapped open and he gasped for air, Tony let the wire cutter fall to the floor, relieved, raised the other hand to Lokis face and put it on the other side, caressing his cheeks with both his thumbs.  
„Can you speek?“, he asked huskily.  
„Yes“, Loki answered, although he seemed to try not to move his lips a lot, which wasn't surprising seeing there were sharp, bloody metal strings sticking out of holes around his lips.  
„Are you hurt?“, Tony asked, letting his gaze fall to Lokis breast, where blood strains were all over his leather suit.  
„What are you, an idiot? Of course I am hurt“, Loki hissed, but didn't do anything but sit there and wait for whatever wonder to happen.  
„Well, I will have to take those out“, Tony said, flinching just from the thought, and then nearly throwing up when a mental image arose in his mind, showing him accidently ripping Lokis lip while taking one of the wire pieces out.  
„And we'll desinfect that. Ok?“  
Loki nodded and Tony got up again, wondering around the room diffusedly, then taking the door to the bathroom, rummaging around, then finally he found the desinfectant and grabbed it, came back, but this time sat on the edge of the bed and snatched Lokis head, tilting his chin up.  
He put some desinfection fluid on a handkerchief and pressed it to Loki's mouth, firmly keeping hold on him as he flinched, of course, it must be painful, the rim of his lips was red and clearly infected, it also started bleeding again when the liquid seeped into the holes and seemed to dissolve all the scab there.  
He felt Lokis chin getting tight and his teeth clenching, not really helping with the blood oozing from the wounds, but he was still thankful that he held his mouth shut, once just because it made things easier, and also, because discussing the matter would totally convulse him right now.  
„I'm going to pull them out, right?“, he said, his fingers starting to tremble again but ignoring it, also ignoring the little nod he could feel under his hand, holding Loki's face firmly in place with one hand, pulling at the first wire piece at the left corner of his mouth with the other hand. It gave way rather quickly and he thanked god that it wasn't glueing to the wound. The only problem was that the wires were so stiff and rigid he had to pull rather the lip from them then the other way round, and he could see Loki hurting when he pulled the red, infected stitches, but as he didn't say a thing, they both kept on going bravely until the end.  
Loki looked like he was going to faint when Tony had the last piece out and pressed a new handkerchief with more desinfectant to his face. He didn't even flinch anymore but let his eyes fall shut.  
„Don't fall asleep just yet“, Tony grunted and shook his shoulder softly.  
„What a sick fucking shit!“, he spit. „Tell me you didn't do that yourself.“  
Loki snorted. „What, do you think I am that lunatic?“  
Tony let a breath fall out his lungs with a sharp noise and brushed the wires off the edge of the bed, they made little clicking noises when hitting the ground.  
„Are you ok?“, he finally asked, only now finding the time to ask himself what the fuck had just happened, what the fuck he had just done, allowing the archenemy into his bed, to put it in a nutshell, instead of taking him back to a cell.  
„I'm tired“, Loki only said, some tiny traces of desinfectant mingled with blood trickled down his chin. Tony brushed them away with his thumb.  
„You need a bed for now?“, he asked, not really understanding what was just happening.  
„No, I'm fine just here“, Loki answered. This was not exactly what Tony had meant, nor what he had in mind, but he finally sighed and nodded.  
„Can you undress?“, he asked, and Loki nodded again, his fingertips gliding over his suit, finding the fasteners, opening them with weary movements, just so unlike himself, and Tony took pity on him, loads of pity, and brushed the open suit off his breast, over his shoulders, pulled him to stand and pushed the suit down his hips, revealing some tight, black underwear, not unlike a shirt and some boxers, only it was just one piece, more like a very thin and silky scuba shorty. He made him sit back again and helped him getting rid of his boots, his pant legs, then pushed him further into the bed, he was half asleep before Tony went to turn off the light and crawled into bed next to the other, pulled the covers over both of them and slightly shifted closer.  
He felt absolutely ashamed of himself when Loki shifted over, too, snuggling up to him and laying his forehead on Tonys chin, causing Tony the second ever Loki boner, the second absolutely inapropriate Loki boner.  
He let his thumb brush featherly over Loki's lips before shoving his fingers into his hair, forcing his boner away by pure will, praising the lord he didn't believe in when it worked, exhaling in Loki's stained hair and trying to sleep. It didn't work, but he stayed still anyways and waited for the morning to come, and the next day he awoke to notice it must have worked at some point, anyways.


	3. Chapter 3

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Chapter three in which another drink is shared and Loki learnes how to properly say thanks.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I didn't get a lot of response I politely ask for your opinion again :)  
> And I again appologize for bag spelling, grammar and typos. Sorry. Really.

When he opened his eyes he quickly checked his surroundings. It was still snowing outside of the window, the room was lit and he was wrapped around something warm and smooth that quickly turned out to be a god. Tony rolled his eyes, knowing he was one really big idiot, and then on the other hand, not knowing how to have avoided this situation, as he didn't do anything else then helping someone injured coming to him for help, and he knew if he had the chance again and this time did think about it twice, he would do the exact same thing again.  
He pulled his hand from under the blanket, shoving it down a little and slid away just enough to have a look at what lay in his bed.  
Lokis face still looked a mess. Torn, exhausted, his veins showing, his lips infected, his usually tidy hair a full grown chaos. Also the desinfectant had not removed all the blood stains from his face and neck.  
He would have to ask how this happened. He would also eventually have to decide what to do with Loki. He might as well just show him out and forget he ever came here, so he might not have too much of a bad concience for noch turning him im.  
But he might grant him a shower first, that really was in need, and some earthly clothes. And something to eat, he thought, looking at the prominent cheekbones standing over the hollow sides of his face, and maybe another Scotch, just because it was a pleasure to watch.  
He sighed and run a hand through the unkempt hair thinking about the promise Loki had given him the last time they saw each other, about coming for him to for Tony to fuck him, not to patch him up, but then he stopped thinking about this very determinedly before getting a boner again.  
He pulled closer and wrapped his arms around the other man. He hadn't had a man in bed for about, what, ten years? He had chosen women lately, thinking about his reputation and everything, and also because no interesting man had really crossed his way.  
Loki was different, thought. He had said, he meant danger and that tickled Tony, and he had to admit that was true, but there was more to it. Loki had a stunningly sharp mind and a very entertaining one, too. Tony just enjoyed his presence, talking to him, but also he enjoyed his body a lot. It was slender, maybe a bit too slender right now, but nothing that couldn't be fixed with some proper meals, and smooth, and somewhat androgyne, having something elegant and naturally beautiful about him without spoiling his masculinity, appearing powerful and determined.  
Tony pulled him closer and shoved his chin over Lokis forehead again, pressing his face to his neck, putting his nose in Lokis hair, although honestly it didn't really smell good, it smelled like sweat and blood and dirt, but he didn't care alltogether.  
He felt Loki stirr in the embrace, and thought, fuck, now he woke him up, he hadn't wanted to spoil his peace, but Loki didn't seem to be very sour mooded about this. He yayned heartly, then suddenly opened his eyes, taken aback, yanking his hand free and putting in to his mouth, obviously surprised by what he found, then raised his eyes to Tony. Finally he seemed to remember, because he didn't try to kill him, but rather just let his head fall back on the pillow and shoved it against Tonys chest.  
„What day is it?“, he asked quietly.  
„twelfth of december 2013“, Tony answered without bothering to ask himself why the date of all things would be the first thing Loki would like to know.  
„Ah. I see“, he answered, but didn't seem to really 'see' at all. Tony mused, he probably just didn't know about how humans counted the time at all.  
„How long since we last saw?“, he asked therefore.  
„Bit more than six month“, Tony answered again.  
„Ah. I see“, Loki said, this time he did see, Tony thought.  
„Are you better?“, Tony asked, not looking at the other but rather just holding him to his body, their legs still intertwined, he would like to caress Lokis hair but was afraid this would be inapropriate, seeing he was still a god and everything.  
„Yes. A lot“, Loki answered shortly and Tony wondered if that applied to having slept well or only to the fact that he was able to sleep and breath freely now.  
„Why did you come here?“, Tony finally asked after a bit of silence, the kind he found comfortable but didn't know if he should.  
„I promised I would if I ever got myself free“, Loki only said, as if there was nothing else to explain about this.  
„Well, you promised to come so I could undress you.“  
„And you did, didn't you?“  
Tony wasn't sure without seeing the other man's face, if he was mocking him or just being practical, but he wasn't sure if it would make any difference.  
„I just hadn't thought undressing you would involve so much blood“, he said, now half mocking himself.  
„Don't worry, it's only the at first time“, Loki said, causing Tony to blush.  
„I hadn't thought you to be so nasty“, he said, and then, giving Loki free of his embrace a bit, he pulled his face up to watch him, closely, his fingers only featherly making contact to the inflamed skin above his upper lip, not long enough to give Loki any chance or duty to respond.  
„You should wash“, he than stated neutrally.  
„Do I smell?“, Loki asked amusedly.  
„Yes“, Tony answered. Not smiling. Then he combed through the messy hair with his fingers. „Also, I fear if you don't get your hair washed very soon you won't be able to untangle it at all.“  
Loki didn't look like he cared much, which surprised Tony, as he did seem to care a lot about his appearance usually.  
„Wouldn't make much of a difference anymore anyways“, he said, sounding annoyed. Tony could only guess he had a fair idea of how his torn face looked like. How he could even speak without flinching was beyond him.  
„You take a shower, then you'll eat. Deal?“, he said, combing the hair out of the hollow face. „Didn't they give you anything to eat at all?“  
Loki snorted. „And how exactly do you image I would have eaten?“, he asked, his voice for the first time tight with bitter bile.  
„I'm gonna be sick“, Tony spat, sitting up in bed, then getting on his feet. „Come, I'll show you the bathroom.“ Loki got up, then looked down on himself. The look on his face gave Tony the feeling he didn't remember how he got out of his clothes the last night, but he seemed to remember that he got out of them, as he had refered to it earlier. He might just have been too tired, and seeing how Tony had undressed him like a doll, it didn't seem too unlikely anyway.  
„Come“, he said again, streching out his hand to make Loki follow him. He did. When they entered the bathroom, Loki looked at him without understanding. It occured to Tony just then that he hadn't seen a shower ever before, for he just looked around the room interestedly.  
„How do you wash in Asgard?“, Tony asked with amusement.  
„What do you mean, we bath, of course. How do you wash here? With sand?“  
Tony smirked. „Yeah, no. Right. You might just take a bath. Here“, he went over to the tub and bent down to switch the water on. „When it's full, just turn it off, there.“ He went over to one of the shelves and got a thick, white towel out, putting it on the toilet seat. „You will be able to manage alone, right?“  
He turned around only to find Loki was not looking at him, nor listening at all as it seemed. His gaze was fixed at the mirror, staring in silence, his face not giving anything away.  
„Yeah, as I said, you should wash“, he said, quietly, unsure of what to say or do.  
Lokis gaze flicked over to him just for the split of a second, then back to the mirror, he raised a hand to his mouth, carefully fumbling his lips. Tony instantly felt bad. „Don't do that“, he said after a while: „Don't do that now. Get clean, then eat, then we deal with this. It will heal. Don't worry.“  
Lokis gaze finally snapped away from the mirror and to Tonys eyes.  
„No, that's not it“, he said, wondering. „It's just... that I have been wearing it so long now, it looks... Unusual.“  
Tony thought he might get sick again over the thought of how long Loki hadn't spoken nor eaten if it was unusual for him already to see his normal face.  
„Bath. I will get you clothes and make lunch.“  
He turned around and left the bathroom, closing the door softly after him.

When Loki came up to him, he hadn't found the clothes he lay on the drawer in the bedroom for him. He was wrapped in the white towel, his hair wet, his feet dragging little puddles after him. He had obviously been wandering the house until he found Tony in the kitchen.  
„Get dressed“, Tony said, getting around the counter, taking Loki by the shoulder and pushing him outside with him.  
„It's cold“, he explained. „It's not“, Loki just said, and Tony didn't feel like arguing with him at all, so he led him back to the bedroom and grabbed the pile of clothes, pushing it into his hands.  
„Get dressed“, he instructed again, I'll get you in a moment when lunch's ready.“

It was ten minutes later when he came back to get Loki. He was wearing his clothes, a bit wide, a bit short, but looking fine nonetheless, sitting on the egde of the bed. When he heard the noise in the door, Lokis head snapped up, he looked at him seriously and somehow his hand, that he had been holding relaxed in his lap, clenched together. Tony frowned.  
„Come eat“, he instructed and added, after a second. „What is this?“, nodding to the direction of the clenched fist holding something. Loki got up but didn't respond, and Tony decided it was not worth a fight over it. When he left the room, Loki following after him, he heard the sound of light clicking noises on a wooden table, and he knew instantly Loki had fetched the parts of the cut seams from the floor and put them on the nighttable.  
He didn't know what to say about it and finally decided on completely ignoring it.

He sat him down on the table and they ate in silence, Tony had decided on putting something substancial into the other's stomache and now noticed it might have been a bad idea because after half a steak and some chips Loki started pushing around food on his plate and looking unsure of what to do.  
Tony first thought it was because he was a terrible cook and it was the best he could do throwing a slice of cow and some potatoes into a pan, because he never ever cooked. But then again it had turned out quite ok and when Loki had taken the first bite he had been looking positively relieved, a look of utter contentment on his face, all but closing his eyes from the feel of something digestable in his mouth. It occured to Tony only now that his stomache might just be unaccustomed to eating at all.  
„It's ok, just leave it if you've had enough.“  
When Loki rose his eyes to him he could see how much he longed for more but just couldn't eat.  
„Don't push it. You can have some more later.“ He smiled and Loki inhaled, like a sigh, just the other way round, and nodded, prodding his head in his hand, ellbow on the table but strangely not looking rude at all, but rather elegant.  
What was it about this guy, Tony mused, that gave him the right to look just so royal in everything he did?  
He felt strange while being watched when he finished eating, but everytime he looked up he only saw a face that was nothing more than tired and pleased.  
„Does it hurt when you eat?“, Tony asked, suddenly curious. He didn't know why asking this was so easy for him. But he knew although it might have seemed rude with any other person, Loki wouldn't consider it rude at all.  
He didn't. „Yes“, he simply answered and left Tony to question himself what he even expected.  
„How did you drink?“, he asked, eyebrows rised.  
„I didn't.“  
Tony rolled his eyes. He would make himself puke by his own curiousity.  
„Do you want some water?“  
Loki smiled nearly unperceptibly but with a very soft tone around his eyes. „I actually had some in your bathing chamber.“  
„It's called bathroom.“  
„I actually had some in the bathroom“, he said, not showing the slightes discomfort.  
„What about a glass of Scotch?“, Tony asked.  
„I would love one“, Loki said, this time smiling a bit wider, and this time also his eyes seemed to share the grin.  
Tony got up, thankful to get away from his empty plate, and went over to a cupboard, pouring one glass of Scotch into a crystall glass, then exchanged it for the half empty plate in front of Loki.  
„Don't you share one with me?“, Loki asked, mildly surprised.  
„I don't drink in the morning“, Tony answered grinning. „But I sure enjoy watching you.“  
Tony regretted saying so when he saw Lokis face tighten at the sharp alcohol burning his hazarded mouth.  
„I'm sorry, let me -“, Tony said, wincing, getting up, but Loki pulled back, out of reach of his hand offering to take the glass back from him, and he nearly shuddered at the look Loki gave him over the rim of the glass, sharp and precise, while downing the drink in one.  
„It hurts you“, Tony said, uncomfortably.  
„Is inquiering about how things hurt my lips your way of convincing yourself of how you don't want to put your dick in my mouth?“, he finally said, putting the glass back on the table, leaning back comfortably and very pleased with himself.  
„Holy crap“, Tony spit, frozen in his movement sitting back on his chair, still half over the table. „You are one insane motherfucker, aren't you?“  
„I was told so, yes“, Loki answered: „Although noone ever assumed I would be intimate with my mother, which I assure you is not the case.“  
Tony let himself fall into his chair heavily.  
„This is not what I meant.“  
„What is it you meant?“, Loki said, smirking, but also with real interest.  
„I meant, you came here, hurt, injured, because you obviously trusted in me helping you, which I approve, and which I did, and now you imply everything I did was because I hoped I could get a blowjob for a thanks?“  
„Then tell me you haven't thought about my mouth on your dick“, Loki said unimpressed.  
„Well I can't, because I have, but -“  
„Then what is the problem?“, Loki asked, suddenly leaning over the table.  
„I told you, you would have your chance if I ever made it out there. Don't you think, I did so for a reason? Don't you think I came here for a reason? Don't you think if I would ask a favour of someone the only way I could pay for was with my body, I would choose someone who I would not mind so much doing so?“  
Tony frowned, then pulled a disgusted grimasse.  
„If you just told me you would enjoy sucking me off, you shouldn't have phrased it like that.“  
„Like what?“ Loki still didn't show any discomfort which slowly started to make Tony feeling really sick.  
„Like I would ask you of a redemption for helping you.“  
„It's fine, I just told you -“  
Tony leaned over the table, quickly, grabbing Lokis wrists laying on the table relaxedly, fingers touching the empty glass slightly, pulling him forward by his hands, and this time he did achieve to get Loki by surprise, even discomfort shortly.  
„Don't mistake me for this type of person“, Tony said, and was surprised as his own voice came out slightly imminent.  
Their faces were rather close now and he could see something in Lokis eyes, questioning, appraising, and suddenly it dawned on Tony that the man sitting in front of him not understanding, had, despite of all his nastiness, never perceived sex quite the Tony thought it should be.  
And while he sure had considered the idea very appealing to have some uncomplicated, hot, messy sex with someone half his age and hot as fuck and on top eing a god, he suddenly didn't long for it so much anymore when thinking about just how many times Loki might have offered himself to someone in exchange for something he had needed desperately.  
„This is just gross“, he said finally, pulling his hands back, snapping the empty glass away from Loki and getting up to pour himself a drink despite of what he said earlier, only to get a chance of getting away from Loki for a second and not having to look at him.  
There was a huge, heavy silence, and only just before he turned around on the counter he heard Lokis voice in his back, speaking very softly:  
„It seemes I have misunderstood the other day. I assure you it was not my intention to unsettle or offend you.“  
When Tony finally turned around, leaning against the counter, taking a big sip from his glass, he sighed.  
„There are other ways to thank people, you know“, he said, watching Loki sitting there, his hands on the edge of the table, as to push himself to stand, but not doing so just now.  
„I don't possess much“, he finally said and it pained Tony to watch this.  
„You misunderstand“, he said, sighing again, really deep this time. He finally got aware of Loki, despite technically being much older then him, being not much more than a recently grown up teenager, and himself an old man that nearly could be his dad.  
„You don't pay people with sex. Ever“, he said seriously, slowly coming over to the table again.  
„You know who does that?“  
Loki arched an eyebrow questioningly.  
„Whores do.“  
And Loki arched the eyebrow even higher.  
„You are not a whore. You are a god. There is nothing you can owe a guy important enough to be paid with sex.“  
Loki opened his mouth, but Tony raised his hand, sitting down on the table, leaning over: „Shut up and listen.“  
Loki started eying him really astrangedly, leaning back slightly, obviously not sure where this would lead them both. It occured to Tony that offering his body to Tony had given him a feeling of controlling the situation, as this way Tony hadn't had the chance to literally ask him for anything in return for his help. And it obviously was very importand to Loki to keep control over situations. But then again, he had seemingly just escaped some sort of prison, had been wounded and helpless and hadn't known anyone better to go to for help than some complete stranger that he had flirted a bit with months ago, so being at the mercy of others seemed to be part of his life.  
„I don't have any idea why you came to me for help, of all people, but I need you to understand that I didn't do this so I could have something in return. I have helped you because it was horrible what has been done to you and I don't know about where you guys come from, but here at earth we destinct between the right and the wrong thing to do, and leaving someone to hurt and starve is just not right.“  
Loki frowned. „So I helped you, not because I wanted something in return, not because I considered even anything in return, but because it was my damn duty as a human to do so. You understand me?“ He leaned over the table and grabbed both Loki's hands, not caring that he looked positively perplexed now. „You don't owe me shit. I need you to understand that. You have been tortured, and being helped when you didn't do anything to deserve such thing is just your birthright!“  
Loki looked at him very strangely. And then something cracked in him and his hands clenched into Tonys and his eyes were somewhat wild when he leaned in and breathed: „My birthright was to die.“  
Tony wanted to grab him by the shoulders and shake him, scream at him, at the way Loki's eyes told him he really believed in what he had just said, and at the same time he just wanted to jump up and leave, and throw up, and not have to deal with this twisted shit, and then again he also felt a strong, very strong urge to kiss Loki, kiss some sense into him, make him believe in good, make him believe in people caring. Instead, he stared very long, freeing his hands from Lokis grip only to wrap them around the hands softly, warmingly, covering them up with his completely, and slumping down in his chair with a heavy sigh, letting his eyes fall away from Lokis weary eyes to the table, then off to the window over Lokis shoulder, but not really seeing it.  
When he looked up, he found himself all the anger gone, wanting so badly to just make everything better, make Loki better, give comfort, but he didn't know how and after what had just happened he didn't dare to touch anything else of the man then his hands, not wanting to give him any wrong idea.  
He instantly felt bad for even having flirted with him the other day, let alone having slept in one bed with him, taking advantage of his exhaustion.  
„Your birthright is to be happy and unharmed. Everyone's birthright is. Even yours. Although you might have upset a guy or two with your bullshitty taking over the earth kind of thing.“  
Loki all but flinched. Tony released his hands and threw them in the air in surrender: „No, it's fine, I'm sorry. Looks like you paid for this. You are a better person now, you'll never do it again, right? Happy end!“  
He smiled softly and Loki smirked.  
„I get the impression you underestimate me...“  
„I get the impression you are just too stubborn to admit that all this enslaving earth project was just a huge teenager rage fit.“  
And Loki laughed. It filled Tony with relieve watching the tention falling off from the situation. „I fear I don't agree, but I do like the thought.“  
Tony shoved his hands over the table again, pushing his barely touched glass over to Loki's side, laying his hands flat on the table just before him, he got serious again.  
„Look. You've expiated. You are here now. You will heal and everything can be forgotten. Why are you so intent about having to keep up your evil reputation?“  
Loki snorted. „I'm not intent about... what you're saying“, he said with a little bit of sarkasm in his voice. „This is just who I am.“  
„Well, I imagine you being a little pain in the butt is who you are. But can't you just keep your evilness down to putting waterbuckets on doors or something?“  
„I don't see to which purpose one should do such thing.“  
„Well, it annoys people.“  
„You think I intended to enslave earth to annoy people?“  
„Kind of...“ Tony had t smirk. Loki raised an eyebrow.  
„I have to admit it might lie some truth in there“, he finally said.  
„See. You are a prankster. You last one went over the egde a bit. Get over it.“  
Loki frowned, then let his gaze wander through the kitchen, unseeing. „I fear it is not as easy as that. I fear you do underestimate me widely. But I will take your advice.“  
„Just think about it. You might even get some friends if you stop bullying so much.“  
Loki laughed. „It looks to me your opinion of me doesn't vary so much if I 'put a bucket on the door' or try to enslave earth.“  
„That's insanely true.“  
„That is insanely cheesy.“  
„What, me being your friend?“  
„Yes.“  
Tony was not sure if he should laugh or sulk over this. „Well friendship is cheesy, deal with it.“  
And Loki laughed. And Tony sulked. And then laughed. He felt the last bit of tension quietly falling off them when Loki leaned back in his chair, relaxed, and took the glass from the table, took a sip, looking content again, more than content, relieved and eased, then put the glass back down and slowly pushed it over the table until it collided with Tony's fingertips.  
„Thank you“, he finally said, gaze soft, half lidded nearly.  
Tony smiled and said: „You are welcome.“  
„Is this how one is supposed to thank a person for what you did for me?“  
Tony let his hand brush agains Loki's when grabbing the glass and said: „This is exactly the way.“

**Author's Note:**

> I'm so sorry for bad spelling and grammar. English is not my mother tongue but I really try hard!  
> I would really like to know what you are thinking, especially about the language!


End file.
